It is the time of year when parents are preparing to send their children back to school again. Education is important for bringing up a child and many of us appreciate hearing about their day when we are together in the evening.
For a family in East Texas, however, the first day of school turned into the most horrible event imaginable. They are now grieving because their nine-year-old daughter died. It happened only 10 minutes after Payton Crustner took a picture of her daughter on the first day of fourth grade. She died in a two-vehicle collision 10 minutes later.
It was reported by state troopers that on August 28, Marcus Wayne Dukes, 18, was driving northbound on FM-225 and turn left into oncoming traffic. His vehicle collided with the vehicle driven by Maranda Michelle Clark, 32 and her three passengers. Those passengers were Payton, her 16-year-old brother, and a three-year-old child.
According to a local television station, Payton was ejected after the collision with the pickup truck. She died at the scene. She was wearing a seatbelt but she only had the bottom portion buckled in.
Payton’s brother, Dukes and the three-year-old child were not wearing seatbelts. They were transported to the Christus Trinity Mother Frances-Tyler hospital. Peyton’s brother is still in critical condition but the other three have been released.
A Facebook fundraiser has been set up by a friend of the family. The donations are going toward funeral expenses and to help with the recovery of her brother.
“Payton was taken from this world this morning before her first day of 4th grade,” a statement on the social media site said.
Over $18,000 was raised.